The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-17

The Famous Russian Eomnncist Rests
Himself at Manual Labor.

Himself at Manual Labor.
NJ. DanilefsH. a Russian author, has
Just published an interesting account OF n
visit he recently paid 10 Count Tolstol on
his little estate Of Jassnala POliana The
writer is happy to be able 20 deny the ru-
mors circulated abroad concerning the
mental condition Of the famous Russian
romancist. Count Tolstoi has not gone
ont OF his mind nor has he given up lit
erature, while as for the report that he
meditated quitting his home and his fam
lis and becoming kind Of Salvation army
apostle, all that is pure Imagination FOR
the past twenty-five years the count has
lived on his estate almost retired from the
world. but surrounded by his children.
At times. to repOse his mind he INDUCES,
like another great man N the epoch, IN
telling trees. saving wood. and olner
manual exercises: in The winter he taxes
10 bookmaking by way of relaxation, but
at the same time he continues 10 write,
and is in full possession Of his faculties
pursuing on the one hand his study Of
theology. and. on the other. endowing
Russio with a popular literature for the
use Of ALL
Thirty years AGO, SO said be, "when my
contemporaries and myself began writing,
ont OF the lOO,000.000 of inhabitants in
Russia not 10000 could read or write but
now that the schools have multiplied both
I'm towns and villages those thousands have
become millions, and these millions Of
fellow cOuntrymen are there before us
with mouths open like starving birds de
mnnding intellectual nOurishment worthy
OF themselves aud MS. An, yes the simple,
honest Russian people are well deserving
or our attention. Hence mo- doubt those
popular tales and dramas which some per-
Sous have been astonished TO see appear
under the name Of Tolst0i However, he
continues none the less 20 take a deep
interest I'm the intellectual movement Of
Europe and renounccs none of the doc
trinc3 of his great works. The table IN
his study IS covered with English Ger
man and French reviews, while on the
shelves of his bookcase may bee seen among
others The works of shakespeare Goethe,
Noltaire, Spnoza. Rousseau and Emerson.
During bis conversation with bis visitor
Tolstoi dwelt glowingly ON The labors of
the field "Ahr' De exclaimed, "What q
JOY IL is, when the head is tired with
work, 20 be able TO rcpOse ones self by
Simple physical exercised Every day, ac-
cording TO the season, go out moving
digging or blowing Oh, the plow You
little dream what a pleasure it u.s. and
what good 10 does 90 the heart. How JOY
fully the blood flows through the veins.
The head becomes clear and the feet so
hight that you scarcely feel them And
what am appetite one gets aud how
s0undly one sleeps atterward. The count
went ON to explain that, after AIN. nature
was The only true and real inspirer of art
"When / read our Russian authors. OF
foreign writer's. I instinctively distinguish
those who have worked after nature and
those who have not There are many Of
the most celebrated authors of the day
whose works / cannot read on this Gc-
count, | try AN ] cam. lut ! can get
through even the first page VI Dani-
lelski believes that Count IOl,t0i VIII yet
produce works worthy to be placed ON the
Side of bis peace and Wa and "Anna
Karcuue. Pail Mall Gazette